Lubricating mechanism.



A. SUNBH.

LUBRIGATING MECHANISM.

AIPLICATION FILED APRA, 1912.

1,1 32,748. Patented Mar. A23, 1915.

UNITED PATENTE. OFFICE.

LUBKICATING MCHA Application filed April 4, 15H2.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, AUGUST SUNDH, a citizenof the United States, residing at Hastings-upon-Hudson, in the county ofWestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Lubricating Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to power transmission mechanism.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a practicallynoiseless Aform ot spur gearing, which shall be self-adjustable withincertain limits, and to provide means for automatically lubricating thevarious parts of the apparatus.

The exact nature of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying` drawings, Figure l is a part sectionalplan view of mechanism embodying; my invention, the gear section ot thegear inclosing casing;r being removed tO more clearly show theapparatus; Fig. 2 is a part sectional elevation of one of the gearpinions; Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same; Fig. lis ational elevation view as indicated by the section line 4-4 of Fig. 1,and shows a pumpn ing apparatus for circulating a lubricating uid.

The power transmission gearing located within a casing C, and comprisesshafts l and 2 journaled in the side walls ot' the cas` ing, whichshafts may conveniently be termed the drive shaft and driven shaft, respectively. l\liountcd on, or formed integral with the drive shaft. arespur gear pinions 3 which mesh with gear wheels l on thel dri ven shaft2. The drive shaft 1 is adapted to be connected to any suitable sourceof power such as an electric motor or a, gas engine, the power being',rtransmitted through the gears 3 and 4 and operating' the driven shaft 2at a reduced speed. The shaft 2 may be connected to any desired drivenmechanism. lt will he understood of course that the shalt may he used asa drive shaft, and power tranvanitlcd therefrom te the shaft l, whichwill then form a driven shaft. lflaeh gear wheel 3 comprises an innermember or hub 5 which. as shown, is formed integral with the shaft, andan outer annular member (i formed with spur gear teeth i'. Between themembers 5 an is int, intermediate element 8 waere-ring o,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 553, 1915.

serali no esaasi.

orband of metal such as steel which may be wound in one or more layersin the clearance space between the members 5 and 6. This feature ofconstruction is fully set forth and claimed in my patent for gearing,No. 1,017,819, February Q0, 1912, and need not he further describedherein, except to state that it forms a yieldingr or flexibleconnection, permitting a limited self adjustment of the gears. The outermember 6 is held against displacement in a longitudinal direction b vmeans of rings 9 secured to the gears hy bolts 10. The construction ofthe gear wheels 4 may be substantially the same as that of the gearpinions 3.

ln order to permit the circulation of a lubricating iiuid through thegearing, the shalt l is made hollow or formed with central bore l1.Radial openings or pas sages l2 extend from the opening 'll out'-ivardly through the parts 5 and 8 ot the ,gears and communicate with anannular re cess or passage 13 formed in the ,gear member G. The latteris also provided with radial openings 14 extending' therethrough frompoints between the gear teeth to the annular groove 13. Similaropenings; il extending through any desired number of the gear teeth 7may also be provided if desired.

lVithin the casing` C is a light oil or other suitable lubricatingmaterial, adapted to he circulated by means of the pump shown in Fig. 4.This pump comprises an eccentric l5 on the shalt 2, an eccentric strapit to which is secured ay piston rod 17, a piston i8 pivotallyVconnected to the rod 17, and a. pist0n cylinder 19. The cylinder 19 asshown is formed in a block 20 connected to or 'trnied integral with thecasing,r and which block also forms a central bearing for the sha lt l.The block 20 is formed with a chamber 2l communicating;` with the cylinder 'i9 and a chamber 22. A check valve 23 controls a port betweensaid chambers and permits a free circulation of liquid from the chamberQ1 to the chamber 22, but prevents a return low of the liquid. A cheekvaline il prrniits liquid to be drawn from tiff casing,r C through aport 25 into the chamber 2l. A screen 2G prevents dirt or any foreignmatter being drawn in and circulated lov the pump. The chamber 22comi-an rough a passage 27 with an anradial opening 29 in the shaft 1establishes communication between said annular recess and the centralopening 11 of the shaft.

In operation, the rotation of the shaft 2 reciprocates the pump piston1S. As the piston moves outward in its cylinder, the lubricant is drawnpast the check valve 24 into the chamber 21. The return movement of thepiston forces the lubricant past the valve into the chamber and fromthence through the passages 27, 28, 29, 11, 12, 13 and 14;, back intothe casing. A portion of the lubricating duid circulated through theannular passage 2S is distributed ovcr the central bearing of the shaft2 and keeps it constantly lubricated. A portion of the oil passingthrough the radial openings l2 into the annular slot 13 is Adistributedover the contacting surfaces of the gear members 5, (i and S, so thatany adjustment or relative movement of said members can take placewithout undue friction, wear or noise. T he oil passing through theopenings ll; maintains the gear teeth constantly lubricated. Acushioning device to maintain a practically constantpressure on thecirculating lubricant comprises a piston 30 working in a cylindricalchamber 3l. A coil spring $52 is located in saidL chamber between thepiston and an adjusting device 35. The operaion of this cushioningdevice to prevent any undue pressure on the circulating lubricant as thepump piston 18 moves inward, and to maintain a practically constantpressure While the check valve is closed, is obvious. In order toautomatically lubricatc the bearings for the shafts l. and 2, additionalmeans for conveying the circulating liquid is provided comprising a pipe3i extending from the. chamber and pipes 35 and 3U extending to theshaft bearings. A portion ol' the liquid circulated by the pump llowsthrough these pipes to keep the shaft bearings continually lubricated.

I wish not to be limited to the exact features of construction hereindisclosed, my invention comprises such modifications as might be madeWithin the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat ,l claim is:

1. .ln power tra nsmitting mechanism, the Combination of a self alininggear comprising an inner member, and outer member, and an interi'nediatelaminated section, a passage extending through one of said members tosaid laminated section, and a pump for the purpose of conveyinglubricating material under pressure to the latter through said passage.

2. A gear Wheel comprising inner and outer members and an intermediateportion cxibly connecting said members, said outer member being formedwith a passage extending inward to said intermediate portion for thecirculation of a lubricant, and

a pump adapted to force a lubricant through said passage.

3. A self alining gear Wheel having inner and outer members and alaminated intermediate section yieldingly connecting said members, theinner member having a central bore, and said members being formed withradial passages from the central opening to the intermediate section andfrom said scction to the outer surface of the gea vfheei.

'l. A. gear wheel comprising inner and outer members, and anintermediate connecting member, said ivhcel being iiuovided with anaxial bore or opening and. radial pas sages extending therefrom to theconnecting member for the passage of lubricating material.

5 A gear comprising an inner member aid an outer annular member adaptedto have a limited relative movement, a in one of said members forconveying a Lubricant between. said members, and a force pumpdischarging into said passage.

G. A gear comprising an inner member, an annular member surrounding theinner member, a power transmitting medium in terposed between saidmembers, a passage through the interior of the inner member incommunication with the :ontacting of said parts and adapted to convey alubrin cant to the latter, and a force pump discharging into saidpassage` 7.l A gear conxprising inner and outer members, and materialforming an elastic connection between said members, said gear beingformed with passages through the inner member for conveying lubricatingmaterial to the contacting surfaces of said parts, and means for forcinglubricating material into said passages.

8. A gear comprising a hub member having a corrugated surface, anannular mem ber surrounding the same and having an opposing corrugatedsurface, sheet metal interposed between said surfaces, said hub memberbeing provided with a central axial bore und radial passages extendingtherefrom to said surfaces.

9. A gear comprising inner and outer members. and a poner transmittingmedium interposed between said members, the inner mem bei' bei ng fornmdwith passages to transmit luln'ic-.tting material to said medium and thesaid outer member being formed vviili one or more passages extendingfrom said medium to the outer su rface of the gear.

10. A gearcomprising an inner member and an annular outer member, saidmembers being formed with non-circular opposing faces, powertransmitting material interposed between said opposing faces, sadinnermember being formed with passages leading to said faces and said annularmem-A ber being formed with a groove or passage surrounding saidmaterial and radial openings extending from said annular passage throughthe outer member.

i1. The combination of a spur gear wheel havihg an axial opening andpassages leading therefrom to the outer surface of the gear wheel, afluid pressure device independent of said gear wheel, and means todirect a lubricating fluid from the pressure device to said axialopening 12. The combination of a spur gear wheel comprising inner andouter members and intermediate flexible means to form a self alininggear Wheel, said wheel being pro vided with a central opening, radialopenings extending therefrom to the said intermediate means, and radialopenings from said intermediate means to the outer surface of the gearwheel, and a fluid pressure device communicating with said openingswhereby a. lubricant may be applied to the said intermediate means andthe bearing surfaces of the gear teeth.

13. The combination otl a spur gear Wheel comprising relatively movablemne-r and outer members and an intermediate laminated section of sheetmetal, and means to maintain a continuous circulation of a lubriatingmaterial through the gear and in contact with the cooperating surfacesof said members and laminated section.

14. n spur gear wheel comprising inner and outer relatively movablemembers. the inner member being provided with an axial opening andradial passages extending from said opening, and the outer member beingprovided with radial passages some of which are out of alinement withsaid first named passages.

15. The combination of a spur gear wheel comprising inner and outermembers and an intermediate section movable relativel)7 to said membersto form a fiexible gear wheel, the inner member being formed with anaxial opening and radial passages extending tlierefrom to the saidintermediate section, the outer member being provided with radialpassages some of which are out of alinement with said first namedpassages, and means to circulate a lubricant through said opening andradial passages.

1G. A spur gear wheel consisting of' an iiiner member, an outern'iember, and laminations between' said members to make the gear selfalining, and means dependentupon the rotation of said gear to lubricatesaid laminations under pressure.

17. A spur gear wheel comprising an inner member, an outer mimber, andlaminations between said members, and means dependent upon the rotationof said gear to forcibly lubricate the surfaces inside and outside ofsaid laminations.

18. The combination of a shaft formed with a central axial opening, abearing for said shaft, said shaft and bearing being formed to providean annular passage surrounding the shaft, said shaft having an openingextending from said passage to id central opening, a gear wheel mountedon said shaft, passages extending radially through the shaft and gearwheel for the circulation of a lubricating Huid` a pump and means fordirecting the lubricating lluid from the pump to said annular passage.

19. The combination of a driving pinion comprising means to permit sellalinement of the pinion, and means dependent upon the rotation of saidgear to supply lubricating material under pressure to said first namedmeans.

20. The combination of a driving pinion comprising relatively movableparts arranged to form a yielding self alining pinion, and ports orpassages in cach of said parts for permitting the ilow of lubricanttheretmaml means for forcing lubricating material into said passages.

il. The combination of a driving pinion comprising relativcl)v movableparts, means lo form a vielding connection between said parts,permitting sell' alinement of the pinion, and means operative upon arotation of the pinion lo force lubricating material into saidconnecting means and thereby prevent near and maintain tbe. llexibilityoi the pinion.

In testimony hei-col', l have signed my name to this| specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

A UGUST SUN Dil.

Witnesses:

J u its (l. lirfrinim., J. F. Rumi.

